Power-press.



No. 65l,060. Patented June 5, I900. J. B. TOUGAS.

POWER PRESS.

(Application filed Mar. 28, 1899.)

6 Sheets-Sheet i.

(No Model.)

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Patented June 5, I900. J. B. TOUGAS POWER PRESS.

(Application filed Mar. 28, 1 899, r

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Patented June 5, I900. J. B. TOUGAS.

POWER PRESS. (Application filed Mai: 28, 1899.|

6 Sheets-Sheet 3.

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No. 651L060.

(No Model.)

ZUz'nesses:

Patented June 5, I900. J. B. TOUGAS. POWER PRESS. (Application filed Mar. 26, 1899.)

6 Sheets-Sheet 4.

(No Model.)

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No. 65!,060. Patented lune 5, I900. J. B. TOUGAS.

POWER PRESS.

(Application filed Mar. 28, 1899.1

6 Sheets-Sheet 5.

(No Model.)

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No. 65l,060. Patented lune 5, I900.

J. B. TOUGAS.

POWER PRESS.

(Application filed Mar. 28, 1899.1

6 Sheets-Sheet 6.

(No Model.)

Wv'nesses:

a by Mat; @MWQJJk his o itorneys.

NITED STATES PATENT Genres.

JOHN B. TOUGAS, or WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

POWER-PRESS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 651,060, dated June 5, 1900. vApplication filed March 28, 1899- Serial No. 710,791. (No model.)

To all whom. it may concern;

Be it known that I, JOHN B. TOUGAS, a citizen of the United States, residing at VVorce'ster, in the county of Worcester and State of lVIassachusetts,have in vented certain newand useful Improvements in Power-Presses, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The invention is in part in the nature of an improvement upon that which is presented in United States Letters Patent to Louis '1. 'lougas, No. 277,085, granted May 8, 1883. The said patent presents devices for cutting from sheets of elastic material, such as iudiarubber, blanks with bevel edgessuch, for instance, as the soles of rubber boots and shoes. In the said patent there are shown and described a cutting-die and a plunger or cutting-block, the latter having a portion of its face beveled or bulged outwardly, whereby when the two are compressed against each other, with a sheet of elastic material between them, the central portion of the plunger or cutting-block enters the die and forces into the central opening of the die the material which is to be severed, and then the said material is severed, leaving a bevel edge upon the article thereby cut out.

My invention has for its general object to provide an improved form of machine which shall be adapted especially to operate automatically the cutting-die and cutting-block aforesaid for the attainment of the results which have been set forth. More particir larly, certain objects of the invention are to provide means for enabling the cutting-die and cutting-block to be quickly and conveniently applied and secured in place in the machine in such positions that the edge of the cutting-die shall make proper contact with the working surface of the cutting-block, as well as for enabling either or both of the said parts to be as quickly and conveniently removed and one or both of them to be replaced by others when desired, and to provide means for enabling adjustment to be made to compensate for wear and for variations in height when asubstitution of ditferentparts is made.

My said invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying draw ings, in which latter I have represented an embodiment thereof.

In the drawings, Figure l is a view showing in front elevation, with a small portion broken out, a machine constituting the said embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the said machine, with a smallportion broken out. Fig. 3 is a View on a somewhat-larger scale, showing the table'in plan, the upper portion of the framework being in horizontal section on line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a representation in side elevation of a cutting-die and cutting-block with a sheet of rubber between them, the parts be ing separated. Fig. 5 is a view in vertical transverse section on line 5 5 of Fig. 4, showing the cutting-die pressed down toward the cutting-block. Fig. 6 is a view in cross-section of a blank produced by the action of the cutting-die and cutting-block of Figs. 4 and 5. Fig. 7 is a view in transverse vertical section of the lower portion of the upper slide, its die-clamping devices, and the cutting-die held in place by the said devices. Fig. 8 is a view in similar section on the line 8 S of .Fig. 3 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows at the end of such line. Fig. 9 is a detail view in section .on the plane indicated by the line 9 in Fig. 3 looking in the direction indicated by the arrow in such figure.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the framing of the machine in which the present invention is embodied, and 2 designates the operating-shaftofthe said machine. In practice the said shaft will have combined therewith p0 wer-drivin g connections comprising a continuously-driven band-pulley or the like, a normally-open or inoperative clutch, devices whereby the said clutch may be shipped at the will of the operator, so as to rotate the said shaft, and devices to unship the clutch automatically and arrest the rotation of the shaft at the end of a single revolution thereof, all as usual in connection with various kinds of power-presses and the like machines. The said connections, &c., are or may be of any well-known or approved character, and as they are not immediately concerned or involved in the invention and as various forms thereof are in extensive use further description or illustration thereof is unnecessary,

the inclined or oblique working portion 81 of and hence has been omitted. The said shaft 2 transmits movement through a crank or eccentric thereon at 3 and a connecting-rod 4 to the slide 5, the latter moving in ways or guides 6 6 at the opposite sides of the upper portion of the machineframework 1. The said slide carries the cutting-die 7, by means of which and the coaetingeutting-block 8 the cutting is effected. The said cutting-block is mounted upon the block-support 9, thelatter being located at the middle of the table 10. Reference may be had to the detailed showing of the cutting-die and cutting-block which is made in Figs. at and 5. 'The said cutting-die 7 in practice will correspond in the contour of its cutting edge with the contour of the blank or article which it is designed to produce. Usually it is what is known as a straight-edged die, as shown clearly in Fig. 5-that is to say, the inner surface 71 of the blade or shell thereof is without transverse slant or obliquity at and adjacent to the cutting edge or is without any material slant or obliquity, the opposite surfaces 71 71 in Fig. 5 being parallel, or substantially so, while the outer surface 72 is the slanting or oblique one. The working portion of the cutting-block S-that is to say, the portion of the said cutting-block which supports against the pressure of the cutting edge of the cutting-die the sheet 11 of elastic material that is to be cut and co acts with the said cutting edge in effecting the eut-is designated 81. This working portion in plan corresponds substantially in contour with the cutting edge of the cutting-die, as will be understood. The upper surface of the cutting-block, on which the sheet 11 is laid preliminary to being cut, is designated 82 and is or may be horizontal, or substantially so. The surface of the working portion 81 is transversely inclined or oblique, so as to stand in an oblique position with respect to the edge of the cutting-die, as shown clearly in Figs. i and \Vhemthereforc, a sheet 11 of rubber is placed on top of the cutting-block, as in Fig. 4, and the cuttingdie is moved toward the cutting-block, the central portion of the latteris received within the central opening of the cutting-die, while the outer portion of the said sheet is borne down by the edge of the cutting-die against cutting-block 8, as indicated in Fig. 5. The particular portion of the sheet which thus is carried into contact with the said working portion 81 of the cutting-block assumes the same obliquity as the latter, which will be obvious, and consequently the out which is made by the vertieally-descending edge of cutting-die through the said portion of the sheet will be oblique with relation to the surfaces of the sheet. (See Fig. 5.) The blank or article 12, Fig. 6, which is produced by the closing of the cutting-die against the cuttingbloek will have its edges beveled off, as at 121 121, Fig. 6.

For the purpose of supporting the cuttingdie the lower end of the slide 5 is furnished with the head 13 andwith means of clamping the cutting'die against the undersurface of the said head. The clamping devices shown hereincomprise, essentially, the clampingbars 11 14, to extend on opposite sides of the body of the cutting-die, the carrier 15, with which the said clamping-bars are connected loosely, the carrier-actuating shaft 16, and means of rocking the said shaft and holding it locked in the position that serves to cause the cutting-die to be clamped to its seat at the undersurface of the head 13. The clamping-bars 11 occupy vertical positions, their lower ends projecting below the under surface of the head 13 and being proyided with means to engage with the body of the cutting-die. Herein the said clamping-bars are provided on their lower ends with inwardly-projecting pins or the like, as at 17 17, which enter and fit loosely in holes, as 73 73, that are formed in the opposite sides of the body of the cutting-die. The said clam ping-bars have holes in their upper ends to enable them to be hung loosely upon the opposite ends of a round cross-bar 18. The said cross-bar in turn rests at its middle upon a pin 181, that is passed from front to rear through the lower end of the carrier 15. The looseness with which the clamping-bars are connected with the said cross-bar enables them to be adjusted freely toward and from each other on the cross-bar and transversely of the head 13, and thereby facilitates the operations of applying a eutting'die to the die-seat and engaging the said elamping-arms therewith, as well as the re verse operations of disengaging the clamping arms from a cutting-die previously secured in position and removing the said cuttingdie. The rocking of the cross-bar vertically upon pin 1S1 enables the respective clamping-bars to adapt themselves to the heights of the holes in the opposite sides of the cut ting-die and enables Loth of said sides to be held with equal force. The carrier-actuating shaft 10 is journaled in bearings 20 20 at the upper part of head 13 and between the said bearings is formed with an eccentric portion fitting within a transverse bore in the upper part of the carrier 15. The shaft 16 is furnished also with means of rocking the same, herein constituted by an arm or handle 21, affixed to the said shaft. \Vhen the shaft is rocked in one direction or the other, the carrier and clam ping-bars are raised or lowered. After the cutting-die has been placed between the lower ends of the clamping-bars and the pins 17 17 have been entered into the holes 73 73 in the cutting-die pressure exerted upon the handle 21 in the proper direction will partially rotate the shaft 16 and through the action of. the eccentric portion thereof will draw the carrier upwardly, raising the cutting-die until its body is pressed firmly against the dieseat constituted by the under surface of the head 13. For the purpose of holding the cutting-die firmly clamped against the said die- For the purpose of conveniently connecting the cutting-block Sto the block-support 9 with capacity for ready removal and replacing thereof the said block-support is furnished with block-clamps 2424. The upper portions of these block-clamps are constructed with V-shaped recesses 25 25 to receive the rounded ends of the cutting-block, this shape of the said recesses enabling them to fit and hold properly any size of block. These recesses have undercut edges 26 26, under which the projecting lower edge of the cutting-block fits, the said edges fitting against the sloping or oblique working portion Slof the cutting-block, and thereby provision is made for holding the cutting-block down against the surface of the block-support. The under portions of the block-clamps 24 24:

are dovetailed to fit a slideway 27, that is provided in the block-support 9, and for the purpose of moving the said block -clamps simultaneously either toward or from each other, as may be required, I combine therewith a right-and-left screw 28, which is suitably journaled in bearings provided on the block-support, the reduced forward end of the said screw projecting at the front of the machine and having screwed thereon an eX- ternally-squared sleeve 281 to permit of the application thereto of a tool for turning the screw, and thereby adjusting or operating the block-clamps. The said sleeve is locked by a screw 282 to'prevent it from turning on the end of screw 28.

Normally during the working of the machine the block-support 5) stands stationary, with the cutting-block affixed to the upper surface thereof, while the slide 5 and its head 13, with the cutting-die affixed to the latter, reciprocate vertically. In my machine herein presented the said block-s upport is supported upon a slide 30, the latter being furnished at its opposite sides with dovetails 31 31, (shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3,) fitting correspondingly-shaped guideways 32 32 on themachineframing. For the purpose of enabling the operator at will to occasion a vertical movement of the slide 30 and block-support 9, mounted thereon, I connect with the said slide the forward arm of a lever 33, (see Figs. 2 and 8,) the latter being suspended by a pivoted link 34: from the framing 1 and having its rear arm connected by a link 35 with a treadle 36. Pressure of the operators foot upon the said treadle raises the slide 30, while when the pressure is relaxed the slide descends to its normalv position again. To limit the ascent of the slide, bolts 37 37-are applied to the opposite sides of its lower end,

the depending portions of the said bolts havingthereon adjustable stops,constitutedherein by nuts 38 38. In the ascent of the slide, occasioned by pressure of the operators foot upon the treadle 36, thesenuts come in contact with fixed portions 39 39 of themachine, and thereby prevent the slide from rising too far. The said nuts are set so as to make the stroke of the slide and parts which are carried thereby when actuated by the treadle exactly equal to the throw of the actuating crank-shaft and stroke of the head 13, which carries the cutting-die. In this way I provide against injury to the cutting-block or cutting edge of the die such as would result if the slide and block-support, with the cutting-block and cutting-die resting thereon, were pushed up too far by the action of the treadle. The described capacity of the slide for having vertical movement communicated thereto at the will of the operator is intended to facilitate the operation of setting the cutting-die and cutting-block in the machine in proper register with each other for working. It enables a very great economy of time to be effected in setting the said parts properly for engagement with each other. I first place the cutting-block 8 upon the block-support 9, securing it in position thereon by adjusting the block-clamps 24 24 so that they engage firmly with the opposite ends thereof. I then place the cutting-die 7 upon the said cutting-block, resting its cutting edge upon the oblique working portion 81 of the cutting-block. (See Figs. 1 and 2.) This causes thecutting-die to register accurately with the cutting-block.

I then by pressure exerted upon treadle 36 cause the slide to rise, so as to carry the block-' support 9 upward, together with the cuttingblock secured thereto and cutting-die resting on the cutting-block, until the upper part of the body of the cutting-die is pressed firmly against the die-seat on the under part of the head 13 of the slide 5. While still holding the body of the cutting-die pressed against the said die-seat I introduce into the holes '73 73 in the body of the cutting-die the pins 17 17 on the clamping-bars 14 14, after which,

through pressure exerted upon handle 21, I turn the carrier-actuating shaft 16 until the clamping-bars have been drawn up as far as the engagement of their pins with the cuttingdie will permit, thereby clamping the cuttingdie to the head 13. The engagement of the pawl or catch 22 on handle 21 with the ratchetsegment 23 will now hold the clamping-bars in place, so that when the pressure upon treadle 36 is relaxed and the slide is permitted to descend to its normal position the'machine will be in readiness for being operated to cut out soles or the like.

In orderto adapt the machine to the heights of the particular cutting-block and cuttingdie which are employed therein at any given time and to permit of the use of diiferent cutting-dies or cutting-blocks Varying inheight from one another, as well as to compensate for the reduction in the height of a cutting die which results from repeated sharpening thereof during use, I render the block-support 9 vertically adjustable upon the slide 30. Thus I employ four screws 40 40, upon the upper ends of which the blocksupport 9 rests. Each of these screws is fitted to a nut 41, that is affixed to the slide, and each screw also has made fast thereto a pinion 42. end of the block-support are in mesh with opposite sides of an intermediate gear 43, while the two pinions at the rear end of the said block-support are in mesh with alike intermediate gear 43. These gears 43 43 are mounted on studs 44 44, depending from the block-support, while mounted to turn in unison With each gear is a Worm-gear 45. The two wormgears are engaged with worms 46 46 on a shaft 47, that is journaled in bearings on the under part of the block-support, one end of the said worm-shaft projecting at the front of the machine and being suitably squared to receive a tool for turning the same. By rotating the said worm-shaft by means of such tool the height of the block-support is adjusted, as required. The nuts 41 41 are capable of being turned independently of one another for the purpose of leveling up the block-support and also of effecting adjustment of the various portions of the said blocksupport to compensate for any variation of height or the like in the different portions of the cutting-die or cutting-block, and after adjustment thereof they are locked by clamping-screws 411 411.

The upper sides of the pins 17 17 on the lower ends of the clamping-bars 14 14 are recessed to receive the edges of the holes 73 73, as shown in Fig. 7, the raised portions 171 171 at the inner ends of the said pins preventing accidental disengagement of the clamping-bars from the cutting-die. The supporting cross-bar 18 for the said clampingbars is free to move bodily backward and forward on the pin 181, applied to carrier 15, so as to enable the said clamping-bars and crossbar to be adjusted forwardly or rearwardly of the head 13to suit the position of the holes 73 73 after the cutting-die has been placed in proper register with the cutting-block and, while resting upon the latter, has been raised up against the die-seat upon the under surface of head 13 by means of pressure exerted against the treadle 36. The cross-bar 18 also is free toswing or shift horizontally on the pin 181 to enable the clamping-bars to accommodate themselves to the position of the holes 73 73 in case the latter have not been made exactly opposite each other in the sides of the cutting-die. die-clamp, as will be perceived, renders the same adjustable universally in different directions to enable it to conform to the size and width of the cutting-die, to the position of the cutting-die as mounted 011 the cuttingblock and presented to the die-clamp by the The two pinions 42 42 at the front The construction of the lifting of the block-support and its support-' in g slide through the action of treadle 36, and to variations in the positions of the holes 73 7 3. The bearings 20 20 are provided in blocks that restlooselyiupon the upper portions 201 201 of the head 13, the said blocks sliding for- Wardly and backwardly on the said portions as the eccentric shaft 16 is rocked. Collars 202 202 are secured upon the outer ends of shaft 16 to keep the bearings, handle 2-1, and carrier 15 in placeon the said shaft.

The rear end of screw-shaft 28 is fitted to a bearing 283, (see Figs. 3 and 9,) wh-ichlis made fast to the rear end of the block-support 9. Between the said bearing and the adjacent end of the threaded portion of the said screw-shaftis placed the loose collar 284, while-on theopposite side of the said bearing is placed the washer 285, keyed to the screwshaft, nut 286 being applied to the threaded extremity of the screw-shaft. By these de vices the requisite end bearings are provided for the screw-shaft.

I claim as my invention 1. In a die-press, in combination, the reciprocating head, die-securing devices applied to the said reciprocating head which admit of the read y attachment and removal of cutting-dies of different shapes and sizes, the cutting-die engaged by the said devices and thereby held to the said head, the cutting-block corresponding incontour with the blank to be produced,- t'heblock-support, a movable carrier on which the said block-support is mounted, and means connected to said movable carrier and operable at the will of the operator to move the block-support toward the said reciprocating head for the purpose of applying to the die-secu ring devices on the'latter a cutting-die resting on its cutting-block on the saidblock-support,substantially asdescribed.

2. In a die-press, in combination, the reciprocating head, die-clampingdevices applied to the said head which admit of the ready attachment and removal of cutting-dies of different shapes and sizes, the cutting-die engaged by the said devices and thereby held to the said head, the cu tti'ng-block corresponding in contour with the blank to be produced, the block-support, the slide on which the said block-support is mounted, and a treadlc connected with the said slide and operable at the will of the operator to move the block- ,support toward the said reciprocating head for the purpose of applying to the die-clamping devices on the latter a cutting-die resting on its cutting-block on the said block-support, substantially as described.

3. In a die-press, the combination with a reciprocating head carrying a cutting-die, of a vertically-movable slide, a block-support carried by said slide, and means for adjusting said block-support relative to said slide, said means consisting of opposite pairs of screws beneath the ends of the said block-support, nuts fitted to said screws, pinions on said screws, gears intermediate the pinions of the IIO respective pairs of screws, worm-wheels connected with the said intermediate gears, and a worm-shaft engaging with the said wormwheels.

4-. The combination with the block-support having a guideway, of the block-clamps fitted to the said guideway and provided with V- shaped recesses for the reception of the opposite ends of the cutting-block, the said recesses having undercut edges to fit over the said ends and hold them down upon the block support, and the right-and-left screw-shaft for adjusting the said block-clamps, substantially as described.

5. The combination with the head having a die-seat, of the clamping-bars, the cross-bar on which the said clamping-bars are loosely mounted, the carrier on which the said crossbaris loosely hung, the eccentric shaft mounted on the said head and having the carrier titted thereto, and means to turn and lock the said eccentric shaft, substantially as described.

6. The combination with the head having a die-seat, of the clamping-bars, the cross-bar on which the said clamping-bars are loosely mounted, the carrier on which the said crossbaris looselyhung, the eccentric shaft mounted on the said head and having the carrier fitted thereto, the handle fixed on the said eccentric shaft and provided with the catch or pawl, and the fixed toothed segment on the said head, substantially as described.

7. The combination with the head having a die-seat, of the clamping-bars, the cross-bar on which the said clamping-bars are loosely mounted, the carrier, the cross-pin on which the said cross-bar rests and on which it is free totmove both vertically and horizontally, and means to raise and lower the said carrier relatively to the head, substantially as described.

8. The combination with the head having a die-seat, of the clamping-bars, the cross-bar on which the said clamping-bars are loosely mounted, the carrier by which the said crossbar is supported, the eccentric shaft, means of actuating the said shaft, and bearingblocks for the said shaft mounted on the head with capacity to move back and forth horizontally as the shaft is rocked, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN B. 'IOUGAS.

Witnesses:

OHAs. F. RANDALL, W. A. MAOLEOD. 

